Better Days
by gottalovett
Summary: A post series nine Ruth/Harry fluff fic BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW THE WORLD NEEDS MORE HAPPINESS.


_I went to Edinburgh and meandered through Christmas markets and sat near the ice skating rink with cheesy love songs and thought of Harry and Ruth and thus a fluff fic was born... enjoy. I know this is an utterly ridiculous fan fic but I made myself sad writing chapter three of A Question of Colour so I felt the need for some serious fluff._

_**I don't own Harry or Ruth, Kudos and the BBC do.**_

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"Did you tell Beth?"

"No Harry. I only flat share with her," Ruth replied sarcastically. "Of course I did! I told her it was a Christmas break with an old friend." At Harry's raised eyebrows she added, "Well it's not exactly a lie is it." She fixed her blue eyes on him playfully. "What did you tell Tariq and Dimitri?"

"You're going to laugh at me."

She smiled and shook her head, her arm wrapped around his. "You know me better than that by now."

He smiled back. "I never thought you'd agree to come to Edinburgh, but you did."

"It was the right choice to make." She pinched him. "Don't think you're going to get out of answering me that easily. What did you tell them?"

"I was meeting an old friend."

He looked at her. She looked back at him. A coincidence? Or a symbol of like minds?

* * *

They walked through the snow in silence. Ruth tried not to skid on the icy ground. She clutched at Harry a couple of times. Now it wasn't embarrassing. It felt natural.

"We were always heading to this weren't we?"

"What? To the Christmas market to our right?" Harry asked cheekily, pulling her across the road.

"Harry!"

"Correct me then Ruth."

"Oh for goodness' sake Harry. You're not ten. I was talking about us."

He turned serious. "I know. I just wanted to hear you say it out loud. Once we would have left it unsaid, but I like knowing that we don't have to live by that rule anymore."

They were walking hand in hand down the German stalls. "Mulled wine. I love that stuff." Harry fished some money out of his pocket and bought them a cup. They shared it standing amongst the rest of the huddled crowd, under small umbrellas and equally small tables. There was a sea of different faces and languages. It was as though snow somehow united in Christmas cheer. It didn't matter. As usual Harry and Ruth only saw each other, and for once Ruth was not ashamed or confused or guilty, and for once Harry was not hurt and alone and guilty. For once, the timing was just right.

* * *

"Ruth. They tell me that you cried when the shot rang out."

"I did," Ruth said quietly. "I thought you were dead."

His mouth was close to her ear, mirroring a time not so long ago when he had offered a similar proposal. "Ruth-"

She looked up. He had to lean in closer. It was hard to make out what she was whispering. "Harry I know. I know I was bitter. I know I pushed you away. I know I was unforgivably cruel to you, I know that I don't deserve you anymore. Please. Let's leave it there."

He was shocked. "That's not what I was going to say."

Tears were running down her cheeks. "Then what- what is there left that you can possibly say that has not already been said?"

"We both struggle with our emotions Ruth. I know it. You know it. Once you told me that it was work that was to be our fate, that colleagues was as close to each other as we would ever get. All chaste and innocent and ridiculous. Why? Because we love each other. There's no use in denying that."

"I know."

"I once asked you a question that could have changed everything. I want to ask you one more time."

She didn't say anything at all.

"Ruth Evershed. Will you marry me?"

"I... I..."

"For goodness sake Ruth, we can't keep going on this way. It will destroy us both." _It nearly did destroy me._

"I know that."

"I want to help you remember how to smile Ruth. Will you let me?'

She breathed in. Out. Back in again. Maybe she was counting to twenty. Who knew? It felt like an eternity before she answered.

"Yes."

* * *

He stopped walking along the stalls and Ruth came to a halt in tandem. "What."

"I just wanted to check you were still there, that I wasn't imagining you by my side at Christmas. There's been so many times..." He couldn't bring himself to finish.

"Oh Harry." Ruth stood on tip toe. She didn't care who was watching as she kissed him. It felt good to be open. Hurts were being healed.

* * *

"Can you skate?"

She shot him a withering glance. "What kind of question is that?"

He has the grace to look embarrassed before she lets him off the hook. "No actually."

Harry looks pleased. "Good. I can show you how it's done."

She was cautious at first but she held Harry's hand and they circled the rink. The surrounding trees were wrapped with Christmas lights casting their faces in odd blue light. Love songs interspersed with Christmas carols played in the background. A kind nameless someone offered to take their picture on the ice. Ruth handed her camera over. She wrapped herself around Harry, sliding back on the ice and laughing into the camera. Harry laughed because Ruth was laughing. It made for a lovely photograph.

That night they ordered wine and two glasses. Harry woke up with Ruth's face pressed against his. He had to keep reminding himself it was all too real. She woke up, her eyes bleary with sleep and then smiled, putting a hand against Harry's cheek. His fingers were tangled in her hair.

* * *

"How was Christmas Tariq?"

"Alright. Spent it with the girlfriend and her family. They were a bit funny about what I told them I did for a living but..."

"Wait," interrupted Beth. "I have to hear this! What _did_ you tell them?"

Tariq tried to hide behind his computer.

"Must have been bad," Dimitri put in gleefully.

"It was," came Tariq's muffled reply. "I told them I was a zoologist."

Beth and Ruth both burst out laughing while Tariq looked indignant. "For your information I quite like animals. In my younger years I considered training to be a VET. And funnily enough," he added grumpily, "that was exactly their reaction too. Said they didn't believe me for a moment. I was too young and my accent was too posh. _Too posh!_"

Beth and Ruth were still laughing but Dimitri was looking slightly glazed over. "Oiii Evershed. I don't think I've heard you laugh, let alone smile the entire time I've been here and" He fell silent for a second. "Hey! Is that what I think it is?" He pushed his chair back and grabbed Ruth's hand before she could pull away. He let out a whoop at the small gold band on her finger. Now Beth and Tariq were staring.

Dimitri looked strangely disappointed but at the same time he was still grinning. Beth's eyes widened. "Ruth! You didn't." There was no reply. "You did!" It came out as more of an excited squeal than anything else.

Tariq looked confused. "What are you two..."

He was interrupted by Harry coming out of his office. He casually leant over Tariq's shoulder. "I asked Ruth to marry me Tariq. She said yes." He enjoyed the shocked expressions his openess caused. He walked over to Ruth and she slipped her hand into his. "You're all invited of course."

He turned to Ruth, effectively shutting the others out. He put a necklace into Ruth's hand. "You left this at mine."

She smiled thanks while everyone stared.

"Oh for goodness sake," snapped Harry. "Haven't you ever seen an engaged couple before? Anyone would think you were zoologist's discovering a new animal habit..."

He didn't know why everyone including Ruth started laughing.


End file.
